DUOTONE DOWNWINDER SLS REVIEW / Light Wind / Downwind / Flat Water

[@JeffreyJDavis]

Great unbiased view, I'm long term duotone loyal for 22 years for my kites and wings so possibly I can get this for light wind winging!

[@hoppline]

Great choice for sure!

[@RebeccaJeffreys-o2x]

Thanks for this review, I wondered if this board would actually work for both flat water SUP and wing foiling and you’ve proven it! The board was on offer and I’ve ordered it today after watching your review. What foil did you use? Can you use the same foil for everything you did in this video on this board or would you have to change foils for the different uses? I want to use the board for flat water SUP and pumping and light Wind winging but am a total beginner. So I liked the “one size fits several” approach as I can’t afford buying more than one board atm. I’ve just been told that as a beginner I wouldn’t be able to learn all this on this board though especially not with just one foil. 😅 Would you agree? I don’t mind slow progress and many crashes if I end up learning it eventually. Thanks for your advice!

[@hoppline]

Hi, glad I could help ! You could get away with one foil but I guess it makes more sense to have at least two. For flat water paddles ups you need more lift and less speed and winging is the other way around. In the video I mainly used the Sabfoil Leviathan 1150. I wish I would be able to paddle up the Sabfoil Razor Pro 975 or Leviathan 1160 as this could really be a "one front wing quiver". Still working on my skills

[@olshov111]

Very good review !!! What dw board you think is better ( quality, durability and performance): Duotone SLS, Armstrong , Sabfoil torpedo or AFS whitebird ? (price more or less the same ) Thank you very much! Cheers from NYC!!}}

[@hoppline]

THANKS !! Unfortunately I did not get the chance to try the Armstrong and the AFS yet. So really hard to tell. The Duotone SLS is a little more stable and lighter. It will probably break easier and does not have a handle (which I prefer). The Sabfoil is a little heavier but probably build more stable. They are both more of an allround board, doing everything good, but nothing superb. I think if I would use it more for winging I would go for the Torpedo and if I was doing more SUP I would choose the SLS as it is a little more stable.

[@olshov111]

@@hoppline got it! Thank you!!!

[@BenceGSzemes]

Amazing video prodution, probably the best qualility in the foiling-space on youtube. I cannot wait for the channel to blow up! Good luck with your journey!

[@hoppline]

THANK YOU SO MUCH !! It's a fun journey so far and I really hope my savings will last till I reach some point of "blow up" (-:

[@MACkiteboarding]

Great opener! Loving this board as well -Tucker

[@hoppline]

One day we make a review together (-:

[@MACkiteboarding]

Absolutely@@hoppline Let us know if we can ever help with anything :)

[@lawrenceteresa]

Thanks for sharing your experience. I ordered Duotone DW Air. Looking forward to light wind winging, riding waves and ultimately DW foiling.

[@hoppline]

Congratulations 🎉....I am sure it will open up a lot of potential. Let me know how you like it!

[@lawrenceteresa]

Do u think that inflatable board is more difficult to get it on foil than hard board? Thanks

[@hoppline]

@@lawrenceteresa I think they are very similar these. A lot of inflatables have improved by having a rigid plate or track. I still do prefer solid boards as the give me a more direct feeling but in terms of traveling inflatables have so many advantages.....

[@richardbarclay9095]

Love the intro, and a great review. Awesome stuff :)

[@hoppline]

Thanks !! Appreciate !!

[@cefirmeza]

Tried yesterday the 6’9 20” 95L sup flatwater and the dimensions don’t make it easy for paddle ups. Very stable and I guess great for winging but for sup dw narrow is the key. Remember they are not made for stability but for easy popup. Fone and Sunova finally made 18” wide production. Wait for the narrower v2…

[@hoppline]

THANKS for your comment and I think you might have a point here !! The 6'4'' is 19 wide and I would not want to go wider, even on longer boards. Hope to try the Fone and maybe the Sunova in the future. The Gong Cruzader I had was 18,5'' but the shape was not utilising any of the width for stability and it was more like a tree trunk in the water. I am just getting into DW so always got to get some feedback from someone with more experience. APPRECIATE !!

[@FreddyGre]

Super informatives Video! Könntest du es als reines Sup Foil für die Ostsee empfehlen?

[@hoppline]

Was willst du denn damit machen?

[@FreddyGre]

@@hopplineBei Flachwasser mit Paddel rauspumpen und ein bisschen Wellen abreiten bei Wind.

[@redwine1980a]

May I ask You regarding the board durability after longer experience? Like the board, though I saw some on the beach with quite lot dings...so I am still thinking about it...THX!!

[@hoppline]

Hey, mine is still in mint condition, but I treat it like a baby. It's light and there for fragile. I guess a hard hit with a hard handle will leave a dent for sure, but that's what you get when you are looking for a light board. I still like the board but for winging I do use the Sabfoil Torpedo more often these days.....

[@redwine1980a]

@@hoppline thx! Any particular reason for Torpedo, if I max ask? Quick comparison? THX again…

[@hoppline]

​@@redwine1980a The Downwinder SLS and the Torpedo are actually very different. The SLS is a planning hull, very stable at low volume with less movement front to back. It's build very light, no handle and no strap inserts. Good to get going, good in choppy conditions. In winging I am always a little afraid to break it. The Torpedo is more of a displacement hull, not so stable but picking up speed very fast with a higher top speed. I does have carrying handles and strap inserts, which I don't need. A little more durable and more suited for light wind winging. I has more of a roll from front to back generating speed. If you ever saw someone taking off without a paddle just by jiggling front to back, that's what this kind of shape is capable off. For heavy downwind both are actually to wide and not long enough....(-:

[@redwine1980a]

@@hoppline THX a ton...I am looking only for wingfoil low wind solution. THX again for such a nice comparison...! See You at the water!

[@hoppline]

@@redwine1980a Watch out for the full review (-:

[@CH-lr3zy]

excellent review and video editing A comment on the video: the lighting is forming a circle over your eye pupils. It makes your look empty and less expressive vs natural/indirect light

[@hoppline]

Yeap, thought I might change that one day...just did not want to fully close the door on selling lipstick one day 🤣🤣....just kidding, but thanks for your honest and helpful advice! Appreciate!

[@sbs7396]

Kannst du mir den unterschied zwischen dem p mast und dem normalen mast erklären. Komme von slingshot bin erstmal komplett überfordert mit dem sabfoil stuff. Würde gerne ein light wind setup haben. Ich wiege 85kg. Welches setup würdest du empfehlen? Grüße

[@hoppline]

Hey, ja, das kann ich gut verstehen. Ich habe auch das Gefühl Sabfoil und Axis übertreiben es ein wenig an Möglichkeiten. Der "P" Mast ist der Pump Mast der minimal breiter, dicker und schwerer ist um den großen Kräften beim Pumpen, gerade mit großen Frontwings, standzuhalten. Der normale Mast ist etwas leichter, hat aber auch etwas mehr Torsion bei Frontwings wie dem 1350 und 1550. Es hängt auch alles etwas vom Fahrstil und natürlich vom Gewicht ab, aber aus meiner Erfahrung kann man den normalen Mast gut mit dem 1050, 1150 und 1350 (für leichtere Fahrer) nutzen. Bei schwereren Fahrern und ab dem 1350 würde ich eher den P Mast nehmen. Ich persönlich nutze mittlerweile den Piuma Mast (noch etwas leicht und High Modulus Carbon) zum Pumpen. Wiege aber auch nur 65kg und pumpe max. den Razor 980 oder kleiner. Wenn Du noch Fragen hast oder Hilfe brauchst, meld Dich einfach (-:

[@sbs7396]

Ah ok verstehe, Ich tendiere jetzt zu dem piuma Mast mit 875er razor pro. Welchen stab würdest du dazu empfehlen? Denkst du der Mast verträgt in Verbindung mit der passenden fuse auch den 1160? Danke dir ❤

[@hoppline]

​@@sbs7396 Als Light Wind Set Up ist der Piuma perfekt! Ich mag die flachen Stabis am besten, also den S370 und s325. Damit kann ich gut und effektiv Pumpen um z.B. mal eine Jibe durchzupumpen bei wirklich wenig Wind. Der 1160 ist laut nicht für die Piuma Masten gemacht. Es glaube hier geht es in erster Linie um die Torsion. Die PIUMA Fuselage für den 1160 gibt es auch nur in relative lang (ca. 70cm) was mir persönlich zum Pumpen zu lange ist. Es soll wohl bald eine kürzer geben und ich werde es wahrscheinlich trotzdem mal mit dem 1160 oder 1060 probieren. Empfohlen wird es aber ausdrücklich nicht. Da wäre für dich der "normale" Mast besser.

[@sbs7396]

@@hoppline OK danke dir. Der 1160 müsste dann eigentlich an meinem bestehenden Phantasm Setup funktionieren. Aber wie so oft , probieren geht über studieren. Grüße vom Ammersee

[@hoppline]

​@@sbs7396 Hey, ja, das funktioniert !! Es gibt von Sabfoil Adapter Ringe die den Durchmesser von 8 mm auf 6 mm reduzieren. Ich glaube ich hab da mal ein Video zu gemacht. Ich nehme mir dann immer noch einen PU Schlauch mit 8mm Außendurchmesser und 6mm Innendurchmesser und schneide mir kleine Stücke die ich in die Frontwing Löcher stecke. Dann ist alles auch gut zentriert. Das hält super und die die Schläuche bleiben auch drin....

[@kit3cut]

How is your riding spot in germany? Greetings from germany;)

[@hoppline]

Hey, the good thing about foiling is, that you can more or less turn every pond into a spot. Learing to pump foil and now flat water start opened up a whole new world of spots. Here in the Rhein-Main-Area we only have a few small lakes and because of the boat traffic the rivers have to be treated with care. But I get to surf roughly twice a week and usually it takes me no more than 10 minutes to get to a spot.....that's pretty sweet

[@philippelamarque3219]

Awesome review. May I ask which Leviathan you were using for the flat water paddle up? 1350 or 1150? Thank you!

[@hoppline]

Hey, I used the Sabfoil Leviathan 1150, 73 cm mast (regular, not P) and a S325 stabi 😉

[@philippelamarque3219]

Even more kuddos to you! I have the 7.2 downwinder (I am 80kg) and unfortunately it is really hard to flat waterstart with the axis 1310. Doable but really too hard to be enjoyable. Hopefully the 1750 and 1350 Leviathan that I ordered will help. Fingers crossed!!!@@hoppline

[@hoppline]

@@philippelamarque3219 Hey, thanks (-: ! I think it's all about practice and technique. It all takes time and learning to flat waterstart and downwind is really hard. I am still at the beginning of this journey but will put together a list with all the tips and tricks I wish I would have known before. I don't have a SUP background, so I had to learn a few basic things the hard way. I just did a session yesterday and will add "anger management" to the list of things I have to talk about in my upcoming video (hopefully next week)

[@AkSeapilot]

great video.. im 89 kilos dry.. not sure i am ready to drop that amount of money just yet.. waiting on the sidelines :) i am think 115 liter probably best size for me? winger with hopes of popping up on flat water and wind that is not very reliable (it dies or is just under what i need often) - or it is insanely strong.

[@hoppline]

Hahah....your wind conditions sound exactly like the ones I have here. Either to strong or not strong enough and what ever rig you take, it is the wrong one (-: ! I think 115 kg would be a good pick giving you plenty of volume. The Downwinder SLS has a really nice shape and make every liter of volume count so I think it should be a good choice.

[@Lytemotiv]

ak nomad with 115liter is a kiler! same like duotone but cheaper! ;)

[@hoppline]

@@Lytemotiv THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT. I know AK but did not know about the Nomad. Just had a quick look and I think it's a similar concept. I guess we will see more narrower boards with Kalama style tail in the future. Not everyone is into jumping and for cruising I honestly really enjoyed the Downwinder.

[@AkSeapilot]

cheaper works for me @@Lytemotiv

[@nickrhodes3378]

Did you pay for this board?

[@hoppline]

YES! I pay for all my gear! That's the crux of being independent. I usually try to get a good deal and have some connections to dealers like all of us, but I really spend a fortune on gear. Ask my wife (-:

[@hoppline]

Usually I don't keep things to long and sell them again. So I don't loose to much money. I am not sure how and if I will make profit with this channel one day, but for now it's a lot of fun.....at least something (-:

[@LinBiLan]

Great review. Thank you. Where are you based?

[@hoppline]

Thanks, appreciate! I am based in the middle of Germany and mainly surf on the rivers and local lakes.

[@LinBiLan]

@@hoppline Ja. Wo genau?

[@hoppline]

@@LinBiLan Rhein Main Gebiet

[@aurelienschwartz5069]

Great review! What rail tape are you using?

[@hoppline]

Hey, I usually use RSPro Rail Saver (amzn.to/3ROG0Sd). They work very well for me. In my channel you will find a video where I put them on a Gong Cruzader. For the Duotone Downwinder SLS I used rail saver from Howitz (amzn.to/48m3Aeq). The material is not so flexibel and they came off a little bit in the first session. I let them dry and put them back on making them slightly warm with a fan and now it seems to work. Next time I would go for RSPro again or another brand. Maybe clear without a pattern as it acts like sanding paper on my paddle (-:

[@aurelienschwartz5069]

Thanks for the detailed feedback!@@hoppline

[@hoppline]

@@aurelienschwartz5069 You are welcome (-: